Machine for working an upper over a last.



E. BRQTHERS. y MACHINE POR WORKING AN UPPER OVER A LAST:

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 23, 1908.

1,055,016, l 'Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET' l.

Sie L f ZZ m5515755; L /M/f/WUQ.

l if

'Alg

E. BROTHERS.4

MACHINE POR WORKING AN UPPER OVER` A LAST. APPLICATION FILED SEPTA 1908.

v LsOl 6, Patented Mar. 4, 1913 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WEEE?? 'chines for pulling over shoes.

;of 'the last.

prise grippers for' engaging and pulling an upper at the opposite sidesl of thev fore part fUNITEDsrATEs PATENT oEEIoE ,ELI BROTHERS, or LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, AssIGNoR To UNITED sHoE MACHINERY ooMrANY, or PATEnsoN, NEWJERSEY, A CORPORATION oF NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE Eon WORKING AN UPIER OVER A LAs-T.

`zen ofthe Uni-ted States, residing at Lynn,

in the county 'of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for orking an Upper VeI'.- a Last, of which the following description, in connection with the accom-` `panying drawings, is. afspecitication, like 10i :reference characters on ,the drawings indicating like parts in the several iigures.

'This invention relates to machines for4 use in making shoes and particularly to machines arev employed for initially stretching, positioning, and, it maybe, fastening also,

. an upper on a last preliminary to the lasting operation by whichA the pulled-over `upper is more completelyconformed to theshape These lnachines usually comot' the .shoe simultanedusly, and have means for relatively ,moving the. side grippers lengthwise ofthe shoe to adjust the upper j longitudinally around the last. It is by this adjustment tpat the toe tip seam or line is correctly positioned with relation to'the last .Y and this` adjustment ris commonly `reterred to as the tip straightening adjustment,

while the mechanism for producing this movement ot the side grppers is referred 'to- Aas' the tip straightening mechanism.- This type :ofinachine is shown and yfully described in United States Letters `Patent No.`

1,029,387, granted June-11,1912, on-"an application .tiledMarch l28, 1903, by Ronald F. McFeely. The present invention is shown' as applied to a machine similar to that et sail patent andp reference may bev had to the Apatent it a more full explanation ofthe machine isdesired than seems neces-v sary to give in describing the presentimprovement. ln the use oi that machine, the

be required for straighteningthe'l tip. l"Ifhe closeengagement .of the pulled' upper withthe last while it is so held prevents it from responding readily to the tip straighteningl These mahands n straightening mechanism or for other purmovement of the grippers and in the manufacture of heavy shoes,particularly on cer-- tain` styles of lasts,it is necessary to vput a very heavy ltension on? the upper in pulling Patented Mar. 4, 1913.l

- 'Application filed september 2,3, laos serial 110.454,440.

over the shoe in orderto pull the upper down torthe wood over the ball of theV last. The adhesion of the Yupper materials to the top face'of thelast over which they are so pulled prevents theupper atthis point from responding to the tip straightening 'movement lof the grippers and results, to a greater or less degree, in bending the tip seam int-o asomewhat S shaped line.

It is the object of this invention to ,facil/'f tate the tip straightening operation, and to this end a very important feature of the invention consists in means for relieving the tension o-n the upper whilethe/ tip is being straightened. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, ymeans is provided for depressing the'grlpp'e'rs enough to reduce the tension on the upper so that the tip can be straightened Vwithout distorting or strainingQthe upper. The tension relieving means is shown as arranged under control of the K4operator so that the grippers can .be lowered as much asniay be required in each instance to'permit the upper to beadjusted lengthwise about the last. The grippers inether illustrated machine are automatically'.up-

llifted for pulling the upper through levers levers to lower the side grippers againstthe' pressure of said yielding connections .which 'will restore the tension on the upper as soony as Ithe operator permits after, the tip 1 has been straightened. The tension relleving `means -may conveniently be actuated through a foottreadle which will leave the operatoris free for manipulating the tip poses. It sometimes happens that the upper can advantageously be stretched more than is done by the automatic operation of the machine. In accordance with this invention, the upper `can be againpulled by depressing the grippers 4by means of the treadle and then permitting the yieldingconneotions between the operating cam an the gripper levers to lift them, whereupon itwill be found that additional stretch will have been taken out of the leather. This can be done repeatedly until the upper has been pulled as much as may be desired.

It is new feature 4ofaithis invent-ion to provide, in an autoniatiflly\operated machine, operativeconnections from an actu ator to the two side grippersxby which they can be manipulated together to pull the upper a second time or to pull theupper repeatedly. 1f the operator fails to put the upper into the machine so that the two sides are pulled equally, or if for any other reason it is desirableto rearrange the upper in the side` grippers, the .,treadle' dunections can be manipulated to lower the grippers into engagement with their opening ipehanism which. is fully sh'own and describe in said prior patent, thereby causing them to release the upper and giving opportunity for the upper to be readjusted thatthegrippers at one or.` both sides will seize .it at a` new point to pul'i it more or less. Also, if desired, the grippers may be moved relatively lengthwise of the last by the` tip straightening mechanism so that they will rengage and pull the upper at new points.

'llfejstension on the toe of the upper mayl be relaXetlL/to yfacilitate the adjustment of the upper' [pulling down the handle end of theytoe-grip er lever. lVhe'n the grippers are .releasedirom the upper the shoe isiheld in position'lin the machinel by the heel rest and by the' -engagement of the toe gripperq with the toe end of the upper. If'it should be found that the upper is so incorrectly po'- f sitioned upon the last that'it cannot be readjusted or if for any reason it becomesdesirable to remove the shoe from the machine without fastening the upper 'by the tack' insei-ting mechanism which is arranged to operate automatically at the second treadling of the machine, then, in such case, the toe gripper may be depressed by the handle of its operating lever to open said toe gripper and thus free the shoefrom the machine before the tacking mechanism is actuated. This saves driving tacksin the shoe and pulling them out again.

A further 4feature of this invention is foundin the provision, for example, in t-he mechanism above referred to, of means by which the operator can control the rate at which the actual updraw movement of the said grippers, initiatfd by the power mechanism of the machine, shall take place. By this feature of the invention the operator is enabled to watch, the progress of the upperpulling movement as it takes effect upon the upper and to arrest that movement at anv desired point in the stroke normally effected by the power mechanism.l By this means the upper may be slowly stretched .as

` compared with the stretching heretofore effected by power machines vwhereby the stretching `may be more4 thoroughly done without danger of tearing the` upper. To obtain these results l employ the manually operated means, which engages the rear ends of the gripper updraw levers, to retard orto delay the depression of the rear ends of said levers during the rotation of the lever actuating cani, thereby causing the power initiated by the cain to be stored in the springs which connect the rear ends of the levers with the cani. '.lhen by allowing those springs to expand under control of the manually operated means I eifect the desired rate and extent of pulling or stretching of the upper, terminating that inove ment whenever the operator sees that the individual shoe being treated has been stretched to the proper degree.

These and other features of this invention,

including certain details of construction and l applied to a machine of the type shown' in said prior patent.

In the drawings :-I1`igure 1 is a side View of the machine equipped with., this invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the tension relieving mechanism. y

The machine has a driving shaft 2 supported in theihcad and having cams 4 and .5 near its rear end with which are connected the slides 6 and v8 from which project rods 7 and 9. These' rods are encircled by springs l() and 12 held'under tension between adjustable nuts 11 and 13 and the rear ends .of gripper levers 14, 15 and 16, or knuckle blocks in which said rear ends are held to facilitate their movements. As will be seen from F ig.2, the slide 6 has two rods 7 connected with the two side gripper levers 14 and 16. the rod 17 and from their front arms are suspended by universal joints the grippers 18, 19 and 20. These grippers are fully shown and described in said prior patent wherein it is explained that they are guided in the bracket 21 upon the upper surfaces of which the shoulders 22 are adapted to catch as the grippers are depressed, whereby the I "theseccnnections the two side grippers' may y be moved `simultaneously in opposite directions lengthwise of the last. for adjusting the nouer longitudinally about the last to straighten the toe tip seain, or position it in desired relation to the last. The shoe is rested in position to be-operated upon by the heelrest 32 and the sole rest 34. The Iria- The levers are all pivoted on .Sti

upper.

chine is provided with manually controlled starting mechanism byl which the shaft is caused to rotate until the grippers havev selzed'the upper and pulled it, whereuponj automatically operating stopping mechamsm brings the machine to rest with the I, upper held under tension as shown in- Fig. 2. .This is preferably the same starting and stopping mechanism as that described ,in

said prior patent.

The new parts added to the machine to embody the present invention include the treadle 40'located in the base of the machine land connected bythe rods a2 and slides Lt-llevers to move freely in their automatic actuationwithout disturbing the treadle. .Depression of the foot plate ofthe treadle etlects theuplifting of the rear ends of the levers 14; and 16 and the depression orlowcring .of the side grippers the springs 10 yielding or beingcompressed by this move` meut of the levers and re-aetmg to move the levers and thc grippers reversely when the trcadle is released. j The new mechanism provides means by whiclnuwhen the upper is held under tension, the lside grippcrs may be moved relatively to the last to relieve` the tension on the T he eXtentof thisI vmovement may be determined bythe operator. For eX- ample he can relieve the tension enough to permit the upper to respond 'readily to the adjusting movements of the grippers lengthwise of the last Vtor straightening the. tip by y the. lever and then release lthe treadleto `let the grippers pull the upper 1nits straightened position. The side grippers s may-be depressed to slacken the upper and then permitted to rise under the induence of the compressed springs 10 to tighten thel upper. This successive slackening Vand pulling of the upprcan be e'ected repeatedly to stretch the upper as much asmay be desired. vlf the shifting of the grippers lengthwise of the lastdoes not satisfactorily adjust the upper, the grippers may be lowered until by the engagement of their shoulders '2Q `with the bracket 21 the jaws are opened and opportunity is given to readjust the upper inthe grippers and relatively to the last. Adjustment of@ t-hefupper can at this time Vbe made lengthwise of the .last and also `transversely of4 the last. When, the

gtreadle is permitted to rise the side grippers will rcngage the upper at new points and pull it in 'its adjusted position. VVlnle the side grippers are released from Athe upper,- theshoe is held by `theheel and sole rests the toe. 'gripper has arhandle on its front' a characteristic feature of the illustrated. 'embodiment of this invention which isof great j'uactical importance that the two side lgrippers are/depressed togetherwithout the use ofthe operators hands, thus leavingr both yhis hands free fic-ruse for other-purposcsfpnd enabllng hun to effect operations 'and make adjustments heretofore impossible.` By the expression means for effect? ing a movement of a plurality of pairs of grippers simultaneously in the directionto relieve the tension onthe pulled upper, and by similar expressions as used in the claims, I do not ofcourse intend or desire to include the construction shown in U. SfLetters Patent No. V.663,777dated December 11,v

of the side grppers to irelaX the tension on the upper., If it is found that the shoe and laistcannot be properly adjusted in the machine, or that for any reasonit is desirable to remove the shoe without fastening the upper,

thetoe gripper as well as the side grippers can be depressed to release the upper and 'permit the shoe to be taken"y away from the machine before the tack driving. mechanism, which like tha-tof said patent,is operated. This saves the unnecessary and wasteful procedure heretofore practised of driving -the tacks into the. shoe and then pulling them out from an improperly pulled shoe.

Having set forth lthe naturb of this inv/enf tion, described a construction embodyingzthe same in the best form now known to meand explained how I have contemplated employ ing it although without attempting toanticipate all the uses which it may serve,- I 'claim as new and desire to secire by Letters Pateut'of the United Statcsty Q' f' l. A machine of the class described, hav ing in combination, a plurality of pairs of grippers and automatic mechanism for causing the grippers to pullsimultaneously and hold under tension the upper at opposite sides of a last, and manually controlled means far-effecting a movement of a. iplurality of pairs of, grippers simultaneously in the direction to relieve the tension on the pulled upper. v .V l

2. A machine of the-class described, hav-` ingin combination, grippers, means including a yieldingelement to actuate the grip#A pers to :pull an upper and hold itfui'iderten-l sion, andv means arranged for manual operation to move a plurality of the grippers ,re-

versely together against the tension ot' said yielding element for temporarily relieving the tension on the upper.

3. A machine of the class described, having in combination, a gripper, automatically operating means for causing the gripper to seize the upper, pull it over a'last and hold itunder tension, means for relatively moving` the gripper and the last to adjust the upper on the last, a treadle and connections therefrom to enable the operator to move the gripper and the last relatively to relieve the. tension on the upper (.luring the adjusting operation.

4. Amachine of the class described, having in combination, a gripper, automatically operating means for causing the gripper to seize the upper, pull it-over i last and come to rest holding the upper under tension, a` treadle and connections theret'rom to enable the operator to move the gripper and the last relatively to relieve the tensio while leaving his hands free.

5. A pulling over machine having in combination, grippers for engaging the upper at opposite sides of the tore part ot a shoe to pull the upper and hold it under tension,

' means for moving the grippers and the last relatively to straighten the toe tip seam, and means including a treadle, 'for relieving the tension on the 'upper during the tip straightening operation.

6. A pulling over. machine having in combination, side grippers, manually operable tip straightening means, and means 'including a single actuating member, adapted for movement by the operator to relieve the tensionon the upper during the operation of the tip straightening means.

7. A pulling over machine having in combination, side gripper-s, means including yielding elements for uplifting the grippers to pull the upper and hold it under tension, said machine having provision for relatively moving the grippers and the lastI to adjust the upper on the last, and a single means adapted for lowering the grippers for the' opposite sides ofthe last together against the tension of the'yielding elements.

t?. A pulling over'machine having in combination, side grippers, levers therefor, indcpcndently yielding connections between said levels and an automatically'operated driving element. to impart normal movements to the grippels, a treadle and connections therefrom to the levers for imparting additional movements to the grippers.

9. A pulling over machine having in com- `bination, two grippers f1: engaging an upper at the opposite sides of a last, said grippers being free for independent movements and having means oy which saidl movements may be ell'ected to .adjust the upper, automatic means t'o-r actuating the said side grippers to pull the upper and then come to rest holding the-upper under tension, and manually controlled means Opf eatively connected with the side grippers and including a single member which is.

adapted for actuation to open both of said grippers. y i

10. A pulling over machine having in combination, two gripliers for engaging an uppe1 at the opposite sides of a last, said grippers being tree for independent movements and having means by which said movements may be effected to adjust the movements may he eti'eeted to adjust theupper, automatic means for actuating said side gruiipers to pull the upper and hold 1tunder tension, manually controlled means,

including a single actuating member, connected with both side grippers to move them reversely to the pulling movement and open them. and .means .for adjusting the gripper-s lengthwise of the upper, said machine having lp'rovision tor causing the grippers to' reengage the upper in their adjusted positions.

12. A pulling over machine having in bination, two grippers arranged to engage an upper at opposite sides of a last, said grippers being free ifor independent movements and having means by which said movements may be effected to adjust the upper, automatic means for'actuating said side grippers to pull the upper and hold it under tension. and means operatively connected with both side grippersfor causing movement ot said grippers together to relax and then renew the tension on the upper.

13. A pulling-over-niachine having, in combination, two grippers arranged to engageait upper at opposite sides ot a last, automatic means for actuating said side grippers to pull the upper and hold it. under tension, and means' constructed and located for convenient actuation by one of the 'operators limbs -for causing simultaneous movement ofthe grippers to relax the tension on the upper. A

14. A pulling over machine having in combination, two grippersarranged to engage anupper at opposite sides 'of a last, said grippers being` free `for independent movements and having means by which said movements may' be effected to adjustthe izo upper, automatic meanafor actuating said side grippers to pull the upper and holdy it under tension, and means including a single actuating member to control both side grippers, arranged for manual operation'to cause said grippers to relax and renew the tension on the upper repeatedly. p

15. A. pulling over machine having in combination, two gripper-s arranged to engage an upper at opposite sides of a last, automatic means forl actuating said side grippers to pullthe upper and then come` torest holding thc upper under ,tension, said means including levers for the gripper's, an actuator and yielding connections between the levers andthe actuator, a Itreadle and connections between the tr'eadle and said levers for lowering the grippers vindependently ofrthe automatic operation of the machine.

1G. A, pulling over machine having vin combination, gripp'ers,arranged to engage an upper at oppositesides andat the toe of a last and automatically operating means for actuating said grippers to seize the up- Lper, pull it and holdit under tension, means,

including a singleactuating member, under control of the operator and operatively connected with both side grippers for lowering the side grippers to relieve their tension on the upper, and it desired to open them, and other means by which the operator can Llower and if desired Open the toe gripper,

17. A pulling over machine having lin combination, grippers arranged.toengage anupper at opposite sides and 'at the toe ot a last, automatically `operated means forv actuating said grippers to seize the'upper,

pull it and hold it under tension, means tor inserting tacks to fasten the'upperwhen the machine is restarted, andmeans, inci'uding ay single actuating member, by which the grippers can be opened together to permit the shoe to be removed from the machine betore the tack driving'nieans .is actuated.

18. A pulling-over machine having, in combination, grippers arranged to' engage an upper at opposite sides and at the toe of a last, means for moving the grippers to put the upper undertension, connecting means to provide forreversely moving the -fid' grippers together to relax the tension maier which the upper is held'by them, and a heel rest coperating with the toe gripper lto sustain the shoe when the tension applied by the side grippers is relaxed* 19. A pulling-over machine having, in combination, grippers arranged to engage an upper aty opposite sides of a last, a shoe bottom rest, means for actuating the grippers t0 seize the upper, pull itand hold it under tension, said machine having 'provision' for relative movement of the side grippers and the last for adjusting the upper on the last, means for relaxing the tension on the upper held bythe side grippers while said adjustment is being effected, and f meansfor engaging the shoe at the toe and heel ends to prevent unintentional displacementA ot the'shoe during the adjustment of the upper. 1 v

20;A A machine of the class described having, in combination,grippers for engaging l/the upperA and automatic actuating mechanism to cause thetgrippers to pull the upper' `f l and come to rest holding the-upper lunder tension, manually operable meansfor moving' the gripper-s to 'adjust thepu'lled upper on the `-last, and'neans in addition to theautomatically actuated mechanism for -enabling an operator to move the grippers together in the direction to relax the tension on the pulled upper while the adjustment' of the` upper is being effected. v

2l. 'In a pulling-over' machine the combi-A nation with oppositely disposed side'grippers and power mechanism for operating them, of means, includinga single actuating member arranged to becontrolled by the'opbeing arranged and constructed to enablel the operatorby his foot upon the treadle toretard the movementwof the levers and cause the springs l() to be compressed by movement of' the cam' and then allow the springs to expand for moving the grippers slowly to pull the upperafter the cam may have come to rest.

28. In ,a pulling-over machine the eoinbination with oppositely disposed side gripvpers and power mechanism-for operating them, of means, including a single actuating member, which may be employed by the maaov loo

llt)

chine operator at will to modify the rate. at

which the power driven side gripperpulling mtn'enientl shall take eli'ect.

124;. ln a' pulling-over machine the combination with oppositely disposed side grippers and power mechanism :tor operating them, of yielding connections between the grippers and said mechanisnrl, anda single actuator and connectioi'is controllable manually during the pulling movement to govern the rate atfwhich the movement initiated by l the power shall be transmitted to the grippers. i i

25. In a'pulling-over machine the combination with oppositely disposed side grippers and power mechanism for operating them, of yielding connect-ions between the grippers and said mechanism, and means by which the movement of the grippers can be delayed while the power becomes stored in the yielding connections to be released at the will of the Workman for continuing the movement of the grippers.

26. In a pulling-over mach-ine the combinationy with oppositelydisposed side grippers and power mechanism for operating xthem, of a single actuator and connections controlled by the operator While the pulling movement is takingplace and by which he can govern the progress of the pulling movement and arrest it at 'any desired point within the stroke of the grippers normally effected by the power mechanism.

27. A pulling-overl machine having, in combination, toe and side grip-pers, power operating mechanism therefor, and means under control of the opera-tor to delay the operation of the side grippers relatively to the operation of the toe gripper.

28. A ulling-over machine having, in combination, toe and side grippers, power operating mechanism therefor, and a single means under control of the operator to suppress temporarily the operation of the side grippers, substantially as described.

29. A pulling-over machine having, in combination, toe and side 'grippers, power operated mechanism therefor, and a single means under control of the operator to prevent the ower operated mechanism 'from taking eftect upon the side grippers until after the normal point in lthe cycle of the machine` at which the side grippers are moved.

31A pulling-over machine having, in com'ination, toe and side grippers, lpower operated mechanism arranged to cause the seizing and pulling of the upper by the toe and side gtippers normally to occur in a predetermined `order, and a single .means under control of the operator to delay the seizing' of the upper by one of said pulling members until a selected time. i v

3l. A pulling-over n'iachine having, in combination, a plurality of gripper-s, power actuated mechanism therefor, and a :ingle means by which the operator can :....surne control of the pulling movement of the gri ppers effected by the power and retard or arrest such movement at will.

32. A pulling-over machine having, in combination, a plurality of `grippers arranged to engage and pull an upper over a. last at one operation, power actuated mechanism for said grippers and means constructed and located for convenient actuation by one of the operators limbs whereby the operativi can regulate and limit, while the machine is running the upper pulling movement effected by said power mechanism in accordance with the requirements ot' the individual shoes, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in thepresenoe of two subscribing Witnesses.

ELI BROTHERS.

Witnesses HERBERT lV. KENWAY, ARTHUR L. RUSSELL. 

